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Big Bash League: Missing small moments coast Perth Scorchers in loss to Hobart Hurricanes

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Aaron KirbyThe West Australian
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Josh Inglis was run out in a tough end to the innings.
Camera IconJosh Inglis was run out in a tough end to the innings. Credit: Steve Bell/Getty Images

T20 cricket is a game of inches, but Perth Scorchers missed their mark by miles as a Mitch Owen century handed them just their second loss to the Hurricanes in the past nine encounters.

Decision-making and cool heads have always been a feature of the Scorchers’ championship teams, and while they showed it in chunks on Saturday, they will be disappointed with their efforts in review.

After two early scalps, Josh Inglis and Keaton Jennings countered superbly, putting on 58 for the third wicket.

But as the first innings deepened, Hobart adapted to the soft ball and dry pitch first.

They turned to a combination of slower balls and cutters while the Perth batters continued to look for the pace-on deliveries.

It left them looking planless, not pushing for ones and twos as they had in the first 10 overs or puncturing the boundaries.

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It led to the disastrous run out of Inglis for 49.

Scorchers still found a way to the average first innings total in Hobart of 155, but where they will be most disappointed is with the ball.

It would have been tough to tell Jhye Richardson he wasn’t getting the new ball, considering his form got him a call into the Test squad, but the Scorchers had a chance to go slow from the start.

Ashton Agar showed the value of that plan when handed the fifth and seventh overs, allowing just four runs across his first 12 balls.

They even missed a wicket, with captain Ashton Turner deciding not to review an lbw shout for Cooper Connolly that would have hit leg stump.

Lance Morris, on the other hand, showed why he is generally held back after the Power Play, his first three balls being sent to the boundary.

And that was only the start of a nightmare day for the firebrand quick.

The 26-year-old was able to correct his front foot woes from the season opener, but after Richardson delivered a near-perfect penultimate over, keeping the runs down and Owen off strike short of a ton, he undid all of his teammate’s hard work in one ball.

Morris’ first delivery of the last over was not only a waist-high no ball, it gave Owen the chance to get back on strike sitting unbeaten on 96.

The Hurricanes all-rounder then crashed the free hit through the offside to reach a maiden century and tie scores.

Fresh off a new two-year contract signed this week, Morris could now face the axe with Andrew Tye waiting in the wings.

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